


What's In Your Heart?

by vcdette



Category: Archie Comics Reboot (2015)
Genre: F/M, archie trying to handle two relationships, fake dating is real, more characters will be added depending on their importance to the story, this is an au based off Archie (2015) ONLY
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-05-13 20:03:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19258216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vcdette/pseuds/vcdette
Summary: Archie Andrews got himself in a bit of trouble, his exes setting him up backfired but it seems like so did his girlfriend's plan. One month. He had to pretend to like Cheryl for one month and he can go back to quietly being with Sabrina but a month is a long time and things can get blurry.





	1. Clumsy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a lot of chaotic thoughts about this, I have decided that I had to write this for my own sanity. This is based off the Archie (2015) comics, Archie Forever [which is still ongoing, so go read it]. This is set after #705 but the events that happened before, happened in this, I'm just super impatient and needed to write what I would like to happen so any events after #705 is not canon in this. This was originally going to be a one shot but after finishing the first chapter, I've decided to make it into a full story. I don't know how long this will be but patient is key on this one. I hope you guys enjoy this story!

_Clumsy._ That will always be the best way to describe Archie Andrews. But  _hot_ was another way to describe him. Clumsy and hot and eligible. Or at least, that was how Cheryl Blossom has advertised the boy for the Riverdale’s Bachelor Constant. But he flipped the script, _literally._  Betty, Veronica, and Cheryl all being confused and caught off guard. “I chose you, Cheryl.” He spoke in front of everyone, _on TV._

And after a little one-on-one talk, Cheryl went with it. Great ratings? Check. Shock value? Check. Archie being her fake beau? Double check. If it meant helping out Jason on his case? She would do anything. Even though why Archie did it was a totally different reason. He wanted Sabrina and him to _stay_ secret and hey a month of pretend dating Cheryl to the public and a high exclusive break up for her dramatics would be nothing to handle, right?

But school on Monday, everyone was whispering about Cheryl and Archie. Archie didn’t like it, it felt like the “Lipstick” incident all over again. “Archiekins!” Cheryl’s borrow of Veronica’s nickname ran down his spine the wrong way as she threw herself into his arms and he had to pretend to enjoy this, _for the good of all things._  His arms wrapped around her as they both fell onto the floor in the middle of the hall in front of everyone, _cameras out._  A simple _‘oof’_ falling between his lips.

“Did you have to do that?” Archie whined quietly as his head throbbed from the fall.

“If you want me to keep your secret,” Cheryl threatened quietly, “and if you want everyone off your back.”

“Fine,” he sighed before she got off him and he got up.

“Now, _Archie_ , as far as everyone knows, we were out together yesterday in the town over on a date,” she whispered before kissing his cheek, a fake smile on her face as she pulled away, “Walk me to class?”

“Of course!” He grinned as she tossed over her bag and took his hand. His eyes briefly meeting with Sabrina’s, who had a frown on her face and a sense of sadness in her eyes.

_He couldn’t live with himself if it meant hurting the one he loved, could he?_

But school dragged on. Cheryl at every corner, maybe she was a better actress than he thought, maybe _he_ was a better actor than he realized. During lunch, she joined the gang. After school, she drove him home. She told him that he was taking her to Pop’s for dinner, he told her he had plans. _“No one will believe this fake relationship if it’s not in their faces. This is as torturous for me as it is for you. You’re not my type, Andrews.”_

So, a rain check with Sabrina and a mess later, he was at Pop’s with Cheryl. She had a list of subjects they could talk about for everyone to overhear. School, after-school activities, music, their fake date from Sunday, movies they liked – and didn’t like – and most importantly, _Cheryl._  Or in Archie’s case, complimenting everything she did.

“Oh, _Archie,_ ” it was drawn out and loud, to make everyone _envy_ them, it felt as fake as it was to Archie.

“You’re probably the more resilient person I know,” Archie continued, though it was a lie. Betty would have that spot in a heartbeat after the accident that Archie _still_ felt guilty about.

“I feel so lucky that you chose me!” Cheryl exclaimed with wide eyes and a bright smile that almost looked sincere. “I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have a boy like Archie Andrews.”

“And I’m lucky to have you, Cheryl Blossom.” He smiled not as well as she did but he had to admit that no one _questioned_ the sincerity of his decision from his friends and maybe, as long as they think he means it, the less likely they would be suspicious about his _actual_ relationship.

After a longer than life date with Cheryl which wasn’t half bad since she paid for the meal, Archie went home, ready to do homework and relax the best one guy in a fake-and-real relationship could be. “I’ll be in my room, homework!” He called to his parents before adding, “I already ate dinner!”

With a close of his door, he sighed before turning around and it felt like his stomach leaped through his throat before relaxing and grinning at the blonde that had his heart. “Fake dating Cheryl is torture, I missed you."

“I could imagine, everyone is posting all about the new **_Riverdale Power Couple_** on instagram,” Sabrina replied as the red-headed boy joined her on his bed, face down, “it’s weird watching people _obsess_ over the two of you. They still haven’t found a suitable ship name,” he recognized the teasing in her voice but yet something else was presented.

“Yeah, tell me about it,” even though he knew he spoke with clarity, Sabrina only heard muffled sounds as his face was still face down on his bed.

“I can’t hear you, Arch,” she giggled and he looked at her with a goofy smile. 

“Sor’y,” he replied as he leaned up and put his chin against her shoulder, “I missed you. Wanna do homework with me?”

“Absolutely,” she replied and they laid together, doing homework and talking– _genuinely_ –about their day and Archie felt like everything would be okay as long as they had moments like this.

“Brina?”

“Hm?”

“Thank you for being so understanding of the circumstances.”

“It was _my_ idea, a little jealousy won’t kill me and it’s keeping your friends off your back. Just don’t go falling for Cheryl.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, I have you.”

“Good, I really like this, _us_.”

“Same,” he replied but he didn’t mean it, what he meant was, _he loved it, them._

But somehow, he didn’t think that his love for her would be enough to change the outcome of things. _A month,_  he had to last a whole month with fake dating Cheryl. A month to prove to everyone he could love and break Cheryl’s heart and somehow the beginning would be easier than the end, he just knew it. So as Sabrina jumped down the tree from his room, he was afraid of the last time he would see her do so. _Love had to be enough, right?_


	2. Figure It Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for taking so long but i hope it was worth the wait.

Cheryl made plans so Archie had to follow through. Sabrina sometimes tried to poke for information about what Cheryl had over him but he just said that he made a promise and Sabrina let it go, for that time. Archie hated the fact that he felt like he was lying to everyone around him. Keeping a secret from Sabrina or not telling everyone that he was really with her. It was driving him nuts.

But he kept quiet and went over to the Blossom’s house. It was big but never as big as Lodge’s Manor. One ring of the doorbell and he waited, curious on if Cheryl would make him wait a while. It was Friday and Cheryl dragged him around town all week after school – not as smoothly as she would have liked, Archie ended up in a tree once or twice. He wanted to spend that night doing homework with Sabrina, eating Pop’s and watching horror movies he hated.

Cheryl swung the door open, “Andrews, come in.”

He followed her to her room and felt extremely uncomfortable being in there. “So, people have been asking me why we don’t have any insta-worthy cute pics on our profile.”

“So you called me over to take pictures?”

“Yes, no relationship of Cheryl is a relationship if it’s not all over instagram,  _ my _ instagram. After all, you want me to keep your secret and to help me.”

“I do but... that secret might not like...  _ this _ .”

“Explain to your little girlfriend that if she wants to keep you two a secret, you have to compromise your morals a bit. And taking pictures on a bed with me isn’t cheating, hell, we haven’t kissed,” Cheryl crossed her legs as she sat on her bed.

“I know, but can’t we take pictures anywhere that isn’t a bed?”

“C’mon Andrews, do you want to sell this lie that you’re madly in love with me?”

“I guess?” He scratched the back of his head and she didn’t seem into it.

“Yes or no? Because the last thing you need is people seeing behind the curtain and starts questioning whether that blonde girl who climbs up your tree to your room is your secret girlfriend and if you are cheating on me.”  _ She knew _ . Archie had no idea how she would know.

“H-How?”

“You don’t hide her as well as you think, Archie Andrews. If I wanted to, I could find out who she is, and if I could sit outside your house for five minutes and figure it out, imagine your little neighbor, Betty just looking out her window one day and see the girl.”

“You win, Cheryl.”

“Me winning wouldn’t include your dirt on my bed, it would be my brother out of jail for something he  _ did not _ do.” Even with her looking ready to pounce on him, he could see the sadness in her eyes too.

“I’m sorry,” he sighed before sitting next to her, “if you want to, you know,  _ talk _ , I don’t mind. Maybe we can be friends?”

“I don’t want or  _ need _ friends, I’m perfectly happy with my life besides the downfall of One Blossom Twin of ‘19. I have my band–”

“That you practically have hostage.”

“–who adores me,” she side-eyed him, “and my money. I need nothing more, especially not a goodie-goodie friend who can’t own up to being in a relationship with someone to his friends.”

“I have my reasons, which I told you.”

“Secrets from the world is one thing, Andrews. But secrets from your friends? A whole ‘nother beast. I never kept anything from Jason so why lie to your so-called friends?” She looked at him expectantly and he knew she was right in a degree. But two of those friends just so happened to be two exes who he rather not have jealousy around Sabrina.

“I need time, this month, I need it,” he hung his head and she rolled her eyes.

“Let’s get this over with so I can get on with my day and you off my bed,” she told him and she took her phone out and she was surprised to see him pretend he was happy with her and maybe she pitied him or wished someone loved her like he loved his girlfriend.

After the pictures were taken,  _ all over her house _ , Archie was happy to get home. He went to the kitchen, his mom was cooking, something that wasn’t rare. “Mom, I’m here!”

“Archie! Your friends are here!” Mary replied and Archie went to the dining room seeing Jughead and  _ Sabrina _ .

“So, how do you know Archie?”

“We’re in class together,” Sabrina didn’t look too happy.

“Why is Archie keeping you to himself?”

“Dunno, ask him,” she pointed to her boyfriend.

“Hey Jug, Brina. Weird seeing you two here.”

“Why weird?”

“Jug, you never come over anymore. And well, Brina, do you still need help with homework?”

“I do,” Sabrina smiled her bright smile at Archie and all he wanted to do was melt into her arms and lay in his bed doing homework.

“You two are homework buddies? Didn’t think of Archie to be the type to do homework regularly,” Jughead commented and Archie sighed before joining the two at the table.

“Having Brina around helps since she is new and you know they talk a lot about what we learned the year before.”

“That’s true but you know what I’m curious about?”

“Hm?” Archie was nervous for what Jughead had to say next,  _ did he guess it? _

“When will the food be ready?” His friend exclaimed loudly before dropped his head down onto the table and whispered, “I’m starving... if I was at Pop’s, I would’ve had ten burgers by now.”

Archie laughed, not surprised by his friend’s outburst. “Soon!” Mary called from the kitchen and a small snicker followed behind her single word.

“So, Jug, what’s up? What made you want to stop by?” The redhead sat down, his arm on the back of the chair.

“Just trying to figure out what did Cheryl do to get you in her claws... she doesn’t seem like your type and the constant flaunting of it feels... _ fake _ . You were never like that with Betty  _ or _ Veronica and you were in love with them. So, I’m guessing she has something over you and I intend to find out if it means I get my best friend back,” Jughead looked at his friend with determination and Archie knew that was no good. It would never be especially if Jughead exposes the relationship as fake.

“There’s nothing weird going on, I swear. Maybe I just see ‘nother side of Cheryl that no one else’s see, have you thought about that?”

“Originally, yeah. But some things doesn’t add up, Arch. Like you not hanging out with me at Pop’s anymore, you being really secretive about your summer, your sudden friendship,” he pointed towards Sabrina, “without an introduction to the rest of your friends and finally, why you dodged B and V at the party  _ before _ the Cheryl thing.”

“Maybe you’re just thinking too much about everything, as always. Or you need food.”

“I definitely need food,” he agreed before Mary set four plates down and joined the three teens.

“Where’s dad?”

“Working, you know him, always trying to make ends meets.” She whispered the last part and Archie’s heart ached.

After dinner, Jughead left and Sabrina joined Archie upstairs on his bed to do homework.

“Your friend is very intuitive.”

“That he is.”

“He’s gonna figure it out sooner or later, Archie. Might as well just tell him and let him be the only one besides us know.”

“Can’t do that because he might tell Betty and Veronica, he doesn’t like keeping secrets from people especially something this big.”

“Maybe I can spell him and make sure he keeps it to himself.”

“Ha, ha, but no. I can’t have you spelling my friends –– real or fake, Brina. They deserve their free will, you know?” Even though Archie doubted his girlfriend’s “powers”, he didn’t want to take chances from how serious she always sounded about it. Maybe she really did know witchcraft.

“If you insist but what’s gonna happen when he finds out? Isn’t he going to tell them either way?”

“Not if I keep his attention occupied.”

“How are you going to do that, exactly?”

“He loves a good mystery and burger, why not give him exactly that?”

“What are you planning?”

“A scavenger hunt that only Jughead Jones can solve but it’s going to take a lot of energy and––”

“More secrets? Do you really think that’s the best idea? What if he sees through it?”

“That’s the beauty of it,  _ he won’t _ .”


End file.
